The Academy Award-nominated song “The Bare Necessities” has been one of the most enduringDisneytunes ever since it debuted in 1967’sThe Jungle Book. Now, Radio Times readers have named it as the most uplifting song in Disney’s library of tunes.
The survey, which polled over 11,000 fans, asked readers to vote for the top three songs from the Disney+ film catalog that made them happiest. The classicJungle Booktune took the top spot with 40% of the vote followed by Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” from Pixar’sToy Storyand “Hakuna Matata” fromDisney’sThe Lion King, both of which earned 29% of the vote from readers. However,The Jungle Booksong didn’t even make the top 3 among 16 to 24-year-old voters. Among that demographic, “Hakuna Matata” earned the top spot followed by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “You’re Welcome” and “How Far I’d Go” from Disney’sMoana.
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“The Bare Necessities” did, however, receive more support from Scotland than any other area in the UK with 45% of the Scottish vote. “Brilliant films and their soundtracks have the ability to stay with us throughout our lives – they make us smile and they make us cry, and can transport us back to times and places we remember fondly,” said Radio Times Editorial Director Tim Glanfield of the song’s success in the survey. “So it’s no surprise to see thatDisney classics both old and newmean so much to the British public, and iconic songs like The Bare Necessities fromThe Jungle Bookcontinue to cheer up the nation over half a century after they were first released.”
Written by Terry Gilkyson for an earlier draft of Disney’s animated adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’sThe Jungle Book, “The Bare Necessities” was the only song carried over to the newer draft featuring tunes written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. Sung by Phil Harris as Baloo and Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli, with a reprise by Harris and Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera at the end, the song would ultimately lose the Best Original Song Oscar to “Talk to the Animals” fromDoctor Dolittle. Notable artists to cover “The Bare Necessities” include Louis Armstrong, Lou Rawls for the animates seriesJungle Cubs, andBill Murray for Disney’s live-action/CG remakeof the film.
The success of the song among those surveyed is hardly surprising considering the popularity ofThe Jungle Book. Although released in the late ’60s, the property proved to be popular enough for modern audiences to make the 2016 remake a $966.6 million box office hit, paving the way for Disney to move forward withadditional retellings of its animated classics.
Of course, Disney hasn’t been giving everyone smiles these days. The company’s recent decision torelease Mulan on Disney+due to the COVID-19 was met with backlash from theater owners and advocates of the theatrical experience.
The Jungle Bookis now available on Disney+.
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